LSB insidious strainer

Jacob · 05-30-2005

Ran LSB Sunday and blundered on a hard-to-spot log strainer. River right, approximately 1/4 mile below the second Walker Ranch bridge. Looks like it was a river wide tree, and someone cut the top off. The trunk section is now just below the surface, out to maybe 12 feet. There are no branches on the top (but plenty below) making it nearly impossible to see when approaching. This one is really ugly, because the top of the tree on river left will cause most boaters to stay right. The spot is marked with a bright pink strap, about 20 feet upstream.

kayaker · 06-11-2005

is this log after the footbridge at Bridge Falls, aka Martin Gulch falls?
you said half mile below this drop, which should be the third set of falls, right?

The three falls of LSB in order:
Moist Slot
The Brain
Bridge Falls/Martin Gulch falls

which one exactly?
I can go in and remove this wood on Wednesday morning 6/15
if anyone wants to meet me, crescent meadows parking lot 9:30am

Dave Frank · 06-12-2005

Craig, the log he is referring to is below the 3d drop. there is other obvious wood-cutting evidence right above and below the log in question. I suspect it is one that was cut , but not removed or maybe went back in. I floated right over it at 500 cfs, noticing it only at the last second. I have no idea how big it actually is.

DF

kayaker · 06-13-2005

DF: thanks for the better beta there bud ...
I'm headed in there today, will be @ cresent meadows trailhead by 11:30, (its too windy to do anything but hide in a canyon today).
Am bringing saws, ropes, cams, pulleys, gloves
UpdateTuesday
Tree down has been cut at end previously and roots remain attached partially to shoreline
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/photos/?photoid=11145
only had a handsaw...sad
but its a whole tree plus rootball
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/photos/?photoid=11150

Jacob · 06-20-2005

Kayaker: Sorry I didn't get back with more beta, just checked the post the first time today.

Dave Frank: Thanks for filling in the blanks.

That's the ugly beast alright. Did you see my Lightning paddle stuck under there somewhere? How about my booties? My helmut was also extracted from my head, but that was retrieved down in Eldo Canyon.

Mitch Jacob

Schizzle · 06-30-2005

As of June 29, tree is still in place, but so is the pink survey ribbon marking it. Log and ribbon are river right. Easy to avoid if you look for the ribbon and stay left. At 430 CFS log is black and at worst river level it could be placed for visibility and yet still be a hazard.

phs4u · 07-17-2005

I paddled LSB on July 17th. No wood hazard appears below the 3rd drop. It looks like someone cut out a river wide log (thanks!). There is, however, an easily avoided bit of wood that funnels into a nasty pin spot. This is located about 1 mile before the take out, well after the dam, where the river splits into two channels. To avoid the debris take the right channel when you come to the second island. I believe this wood has been there for some time, but it is worth noting. I had to do some quick upstream paddling at 80CFS to avoid the strainer. At higher flow this might not be an option.

Phil

Schizzle · 12-27-2005

This log has been removed.